


Nightmare

by Madangel19



Series: TGSU Oneshots [5]
Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Blood and Torture, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kinda, Night Terrors, Nightmare Fuel, Violence, Visions of the Future, creepy Spine at it again, imaginary friend is no longer a friend, robot cuddles in the end, sleep paralysis, spooky nightmare, there's a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-22 01:57:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8268418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madangel19/pseuds/Madangel19
Summary: Mak is confronted by her imaginary friend, T, who has a special request for her. Kill the residents of Walter Manor and he will become real. Mak obviously refuses, knowing she would never hurt her family. T then gives her a terrifying vision of the future, but is it true?





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure this is the last short before the sequel to The Greatest Show Unearthed arrives :D
> 
> Enjoy!

Mak was back in the dark place again. She knew she was dreaming. She hated being sent to this place whenever she fell asleep. It reminded her of her time in the laboratories. The only upside to this place was that could freely communicate with her friend, T. 

“Are you there, T?” Mak called out. A deep chuckle filled the air, making her smile.

“I’m right here, darling,” a familiar voice purred from behind her.

Mak turned to face her friend. A dark silhouette of a tall man stood before her. Glowing yellow eyes filled with mystery looked down at her. He was downright frightening, but he was her friend and she loved him for that.

“Hello, T!” Mak greeted while hugging him. He was always warm to the touch, which she greatly appreciated. The figure simply chuckled and hugged her back, squeezing her tightly.

“I’m so glad I could meet you again, T,” Mak chimed as she pulled away from the hug. T was silent as he stood before her. His yellow eyes were filled with a sense of excitement.

“I have something I want to ask you, darling,” T muttered. Mak cocked her head in confusion.

“What is it, T?” 

The figure knelt before her, glowing eyes staring intently into hers.

“Would you like me to be real, darling? I can help you,” T replied.

Mak’s eyes widened at the offer. Of course she wanted him to be real. They would have so much fun together.

“Yes! That would be wonderful!” Mak replied happily.

“That’s great, darling. There’s only one tiny, little thing that you must do so that I can be real,” T said in a sinister tone.

“What do I have to do?” Mak asked curiously. T chuckled darkly, his toxic yellow eyes pierced into her very soul.

“You must destroy those those robots. They will try and stop you from making me real. I have foreseen it myself,” T growled. Mak gasped in horror at the request. There was no way she could harm her family. She had promised long ago not to kill or bring harm to others.

“I…I can’t do that, T. Murder is a crime. I promised Mama Rabbit I would never hurt anyone,” Mak muttered. She looked up at T who stared sown at her angrily. His piercing gaze never stopped.

“I might as well show you what will happen if you don’t do as I ask,” he hissed before disappearing into the darkness.

“T? Where are you going? T!” Mak cried out as she tried to follow him. She soon found herself in a dimly lit corridor.

“What’s this?” She asked herself as she inspected her surroundings. It obviously wasn’t Walter manor due to all of the doors. They were all closed except for the one at the end of the corridor. It was opened a crack, revealing a strange, green light. Mak went up at the door and opened it.

It was a regular sitting room with books and sheets of paper littering the floor. The furniture was overturned and ruined by mysterious scratch marks. A fire glowed green in the fireplace, giving the room an ominous feeling. What really caught Mak’s eyes was the tall figure standing in the middle of the room. It was her adopted uncle, The Spine, but something was off as he stood with his back turned to her. His spines seemed more prominent and sharper than they used to be. His signature fedora was nowhere to be seen, leaving behind a mess of raven-black hair. His clothes were all torn up. What concerned Mak the most were his claw-like fingers.   
The Spine seemed to be mumbling to himself as Mak slowly approached him.

“The Spine? Are you okay?" Mak asked in a soft voice while reaching out for his arm. She quickly backed away as the titanium automaton spun around to face her. She shivered at the sight of him. His eyes glowed a cold, dark green, nothing compared to the soft emeralds she was used to. His was face was cracked in some parts as he smiled a terrifyingly toothy smile.

“There you are, little one. I’ve been looking all over for you. C’mere,” he crowed while advancing toward her. Mak quickly backed away, knowing instantly that his intentions weren’t friendly at all. The automaton paused and glared at her before smiling charmingly.

“Don’t be scared, little one. I just want to talk,” he purred, making Mak blush to her dismay.

“What happened to you?” Mak managed to ask.

The automaton chuckled darkly, making her back away even more. She eventually found herself pressed against the door.

“We should have killed you before it was too late, little one. You killed the one who brought you into this world. You are an abomination and that is why you must be terminated,” The Spine hissed angrily while flexing his claws. He lunged forward, steam pouring out of his mouth and cheek vents. Mak quickly dodged to the side, letting him dig his claws into the door. The automaton growled as he struggled to free his hands.

“You can’t run, little one! I know! We can play a game. If I catch you, I’ll kill you!” The Spine screamed. Mak quickly glanced around the from and saw another door. She ran for it, listening to her uncle’s angry screams.

“Oh, what fun! I’ll get you, little one!” The Spine crowed. Mak slammed the door shut behind her to find herself in another corridor. She started running. There was a loud crash behind her followed by a laugh. Mak shut him out and ran.

“Wake up!” She screamed to herself. This nightmare had to end.

“T! Help me!” She cried out. All she could hear were her own panicked breaths mixed in with the heavy footsteps of The Spine.

“Come back, little one. I promise it will be quick and painless if you cooperate," The Spine purred in his pleasantly deep voice. Mak shook her head. This wasn’t her uncle.

Minutes passed and Mak could no longer hear the automaton behind her. Slowing down, Mak finally stopped to catch her breath and check her surroundings. Even more doors and still more of the corridor. Where was she?

The sound of sobbing filled the air. Mak looked around and saw a nearby door that was wide open. She approached with caution and looked in. The room was dimly lit by candles. There wasn’t much to see except for the figure sobbing in an armchair. It was Rabbit. Her head was buried in her hands as she sobbed loudly. There seemed to be nothing dangerous about her. Mak gulped and approached her.

“Mama Rabbit? What’s wrong?” Mak asked cautiously. She braced herself for violence when Rabbit turned to stare at her. She seemed normal besides the black oil staining her pale face. Rabbit stared at her in shock, her lower lip trembling.

“W-W-Why? Why d-d-did you k-k-kill them, baby?” Rabbit whimpered. Mak only shook her head in response.

“I…I didn’t kill anyone, Mama Rabbit,” Mak replied in a soft voice.

“Don’t l-l-lie to me, baby. You killed them. You killed them! Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You k-k-k-killed the-the-the-the-the-them!” Rabbit screamed. She shot up from her seat and stood in place, her whole body twitching abnormally. Mak quickly backed away toward the door only to find it locked. A loud hiss filled the air which was followed by a giggle. Mak turned back to face her adopted mother. 

Rabbit smiled maniacally at her from the chair, her eyes glowing red.

“I’m g-g-g-g-gonna kill you, baby,” Rabbit crooned.

Before Rabbit could act, Mak felt a searing pain in her legs. She looked own and saw multiple wires shoot out from the ground and wrap around her arms and legs. She screamed out in pain as she was dragged down.

“Help me, Mama Rabbit!” Mak cried out while attempting to reach out for Rabbit. Rabbit only smirked and waved goodbye.

“Bye-bye, baby,” Rabbit chimed as Mak fell into the darkness.

Mak closed her eyes as she was dragged down. She eventually stopped and dared to open her eyes. She was in the Hall of Wires. She cried out in terror as she felt more wires snake around and tighten around her body. A deep chuckle filled the air, sending shivers down her spine.

“That was easier than I thought,” the voice of The Spine crowed front he darkness.

Mak could see two orbs of dark-green light glaring at her from the darkness. She tried to look away, but a wire wrapped around her head and forced her to look directly ahead. The Spine sauntered forward, a look of pride formed on his face as he looked over his catch.

“Look at you. My poor, sweet, little Mak all alone in the world. What shall I do with you?” He purred while gently caressing her cheek with one claw-like finger. Mak hissed angrily at him and snapped at his fingers, making him laugh once more.

“It’s over, little one. You’ve lost,” The Spine hissed back. Mak cried out as the wires holding her tightened. It hurt. oh god, it hurt. The more she struggled, the tighter it got. 

“Mama!” She cried out into the darkness. Her juvenile mindset had taken over and she burst into tears. She just wanted to wake up. She just wanted to be back with her family.

“Shhh. Hush now, little one. It won’t last much longer now. Just close your eyes,” The Spine cooed softly. His deep voice was enough to make her drowsy, but she continued to struggle. Mak glared into his optics as she fought with what little strength she had.

“I don’t want to die!” Mak growled through clenched teeth. The automaton only chuckled at her. To her surprise, Mak noticed that the wires weren’t as tight as before. Before she could do anything, she heard a loud hiss come from The Spine. She looked up and saw him slithering out of his chassis. The automaton smirked and slithered toward her. Mak tried desperately to struggle but stopped when The Spine wrapped himself around her. The wires holding her suddenly tightened again, making her gasp for air.

“Comfy?” The Spine asked humorously while resting his head on her shoulder.

“No,” Mak muttered.

The automaton smirked and tightened his grip on her. Mak cried out in pain as she felt one of his spines dig into her side. She could feel herself getting weaker and weaker by the minute.

“I…I hate you,” Mak whimpered. She just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

“I know, little one. Just a few more moments and it’ll be over. Go to sleep. It’ll be over soon,” The Spine crooned while nuzzling her cheek.

Mak screamed in agony when she felt him squeeze tightly. The sounds of bones breaking and splintering filled the air. She tried to breathe but found it difficult as all that came out were wet gasps. She coughed violently, tasting blood in her mouth. She glared into the The Spine’s optics and saw a familiar yellow glow from within.

“T?” She managed to whisper. The possessed automaton smirked and winked at her before a multitude of wires impaled her.

 

Mak awoke with a deafening scream. She fell out of her bed with a loud thud, making her cry out in pain. She looked around her room, thankful that she was awake and alive. Why had she dreamed about that?

“ _It’s T’s fault. T did this_ ,” she thought to herself. But why? Why would he show her something like this?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock at the door.

“Mak? Are you okay? I heard you scream. Is everything okay in there?” The familiar deep voice of The Spine called out. Mak shuddered. Facing The Spine after what she just went through was the last she she wanted to do right now.

Mak opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a loud gasping wheeze. Odd. She tried to move but that she was immobile.

“ _No! What is this? This can’t be happening_!” She thought. This was sleep paralysis. She knew what it did to an individual and it terrified her.

Mak tried to talk again and screamed out of fear. She felt as if something was pressing down on her chest, making it nearly difficult to breathe. Tears streamed down her face as she stared helplessly at her bedroom door.

“Mak!”

Mak watched as her door was forced open by The Spine. His faceplates contorted into an expression of pure fear as his gaze fell on her. Mak screamed at the sight of him. She easily remembered that terrifying smirk as he crushed her to death. No, that wasn’t him. The tall automaton was by her side in an instant, gently pulling her close and cradling her in his arms.

“What happened, little one?” He asked, Mak only gazed up at him. She swore she saw a hint of yellow in his optics, making her shudder. She opened her mouth to speak again but all that came out was a weak hiss.

“Sleep paralysis. Don’t worry, little one. It’ll pass any minute now. I’ll stay with you until to ends. You’re okay, little one. There’s no need to be frightened anymore,” The Spine said in a calming tone. Mak only stared up at him in fear as he began humming a calming tune. She could see the cracks in his faceplates and his claw-like fingers gently stroking her bald head. No! This was T’s doing. Why did T do this to her?

A few minutes passed until Mak could feel movement in her limbs. She quickly pulled herself away from her uncle and sat next to him. She stared at her feet, refusing to look at him.

“It was T,” she muttered weakly once she found her voice. She could hear her uncle hiss softly at the mention of her friend. She looked up and saw the frustration on his faceplates.

“Mak-”

“He came to me in my dream. He wanted me to kill everyone. He showed me what would happen if I didn’t do as he asked. He…He possessed you…and…and you killed-”

“That’s enough, Mak!” The Spine silenced her and continued with a tired sigh, “It’s just a bad dream, little one. It’s not real.”

Mak shivered as she thought about what T had shown her. It felt too real to be just some bad nightmare. Should she even mention what T wanted in the first place? No. Not yet.

“You saw T in your dream? What does he look like?” The Spine suddenly asked her. Mak thought about her ex-friend. A shudder ran through her as she pictured him.

“He’s…like a shadow. He’s very tall. He has no real features except for his eyes, They glow yellow in the darkness. And he has a deep voice like yours but it sounds different. He likes calling me ‘darling’,” Mak answered as she recalled T’s appearance. She looked up at her uncle and saw the look of pure fear and recognition on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Mak asked.

The Spine shook his head, his expression immediately changing into a friendly, lopsided grin.

“I think you should get back to sleep, little one, Let’s keep this between ourselves. Your mothers wouldn’t be too happy if they heard about your dream and your…friends,” the automaton said while helping her to her feet.

“He’s not my friend anymore,” Mak growled as she crawled into her large bed. T was now a threat and it frightened her that she would most likely see him inner dreams again. She didn’t want to be alone if that happened.

“Can you stay with me, The Spine? I…I don’t want to be alone tonight,” Mak murmured. The titanium automation paused, exhaling steam in the process. His expression held a sense of pity for his young, suffering niece.

“Okay, little one. But only for tonight,” he declared while removing his shoes, fedora, and vest and unbuttoning his dress shirt a bit. Mak smiled nervously as she scooted over to make room for the colossal automaton. The bed creaked loudly as The Spine sat on the bed and laid on his side. Mak felt her heart race when she felt long, slender arms pull her close. She closed her eyes shut, not wanting to remember her nightmare. She could feel the cold wires tightening around her body as her uncle held her in a gentle embrace.

“It’s okay, little one. The nightmare is over,” The Spine whispered while planting a cold kiss on her forehead. Mak shivered at the action and rest dyer forehead against his chest. She suddenly remembered some of the things she had said against her uncle and began to tear up at the thought.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything,” Mak whimpered into his chest.

“I know, little one. Just go back to sleep. Your dreams will be sweet from now on. I’m sure of that,” The Spine murmured back.

Mak hoped he was right. Mak stared into the blue glow that emanated from his chest. Its soft hum, mixed with the sounds from within her uncle, soon calmed her.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be much more coming soon :D


End file.
